Gary Neville has robustly denied that his hiring by Valencia was a PR stunt cooked up by club owner Peter Lim and special advisor Jorge Mendes.

The former Manchester United and England defender was responding to claims by the respected El País journalist Diego Torres that Lim, aware of the unpopularity of former coach Nuno Espirito Santo, had asked Mendes to find him a new coach not represented by the Portuguese super-agent.

Mendes' some-time business partner Peter Kenyon, a close associate of Neville from his stint as Manchester United chief executive, reportedly acted as a go-between to facilitate the deal, while Torres also claimed that former boss Nuno still watches training sessions and offers feedback

"Is the journalist in here? No? I've never heard anything so ludicrous in my life," Neville said in his press conference. "It's a fantasy story with absolutely no truth whatsoever.

"I don't really know what to say, to be honest with you. It's just nonsense. In England I would use a swear word - but I'm not quite sure the translator will be able to place it in the right context!"

Nuno's close links to Jorge Mendes caused controversy at Valencia when the agent appeared to be influencing team selection to favour players that he has an interest in. Nearly all of the club's summer purchases have a link to Mendes, and players not coming under the Portuguese's umbrella, like Alvaro Negredo, were alienated.

Mendes is reported as having understood Lim's need to dismiss Nuno, his first-ever client, in order to "protect his investments" in young players like Joao Cancelo, Andre Gomes and Danilo Barbosa.

Neville's side face Granada today after drawing 2-2 with Real Madrid last time out (below).